Her smile caressed his mouth. "All right then, flyboy. I'm waiting."
Tucking inside their room, he placed their sleeper-clad son in the middle of their bed, on Rena's favorite quilt with rings. He tugged Jamie's tiny foot. "Hold on for just a second, little man, while I go back for your mama."
J.T. made a quick sweep of the room to ensure everything was in place before sprinting to the hall where his wife waited with suspicious, but twinkling eyes.
"Okay, babe. Ready now." Gently, he swept her up into his arms.
Her hair trailing over his wrist, she laced her fingers behind his neck with a squeak and laugh. "I really can walk."
"I know you can." He settled her closer, enjoyed the scent and softness of her. And yeah, he wanted to pamper her a little. He'd forgotten how tough childbirth was on a woman, even with a quick four-hour labor like Rena's. He needed to hold her close. "But can't a guy be romantic?"
Ah, he loved how she melted against him. Hell, he just loved her.
Sighing, she relaxed in his arms. "By all means, then, carry away."
He stared down into the dark eyes of this woman who'd stolen his heart at an air show nearly twenty-three years ago. "I love you."
She stroked his face. "I love you, too." She nestled her head under his chin. "Now let's enjoy the peace and quiet while we can."
Amen to that. Nikki would be home soon to meet her new brother, and Chris would be bringing his girlfriend over to see Jamie as well.
Since his older friends had graduated and left for college, Chris seemed to have come out more, found his footing, especially once the police had fully cleared him. The lifeguard job had brought a girlfriend to his tower and into his life. He was calmer, more settled.
Knowing the possibility of a swim-team scholarship loomed in Chris's future calmed a part of J.T. that would never totally stop worrying about money. Of course, he worried a little less now that he'd made Chief Master Sergeant.
J.T. shuffled aside other thoughts, focused on his wife instead. He didn't want to think of anything except the homecoming surprise he had planned for Rena. Romancing his wife was turning out to be fun as hell.
Since folks from the squadron would be showing up to drop off dinner soon, he needed to get moving with his plan. He toed the bedroom door open wide and waited for his wife's reaction.
Flowers bloomed on every surface along with her potted plants—all mixed among candles. By the bed, bottled water perched in an ice bucket beside a plate of strawberries and grapes.
Rena's gasp of surprise, of happiness, told him all he needed to know. Romance rocked.
"So, Jamie," he called to his son, the little guy pumping his tiny feet in response to his father's voice. "Do you think your mama likes the flowers?"
"She most definitely does." Rena snagged a pink rose from a vase as J.T. carried her toward the bed and inhaled the flowery scent. "Who says you can't have kids and romance? Thank you."
"My pleasure." And he wasn't done yet.
Carefully, he placed her onto the mattress against the piles of pillows, pulled her shoes off. J.T. stretched on the other side of the bed, while they watched their baby as they'd done in years past with Nikki and Chris.
His wife cooed and conversed with their newborn son, adjusting his lightweight blanket, tickling his toes and glowing even more than she had while pregnant. She would enjoy these next couple of months off before going back to work part-time.
Rena tugged the loose tail on J.T.'s Hawaiian shirt. "I think Jamie likes the crazy colors."
"Seems so." J.T. reached into his back pocket for the small box tucked away and hidden beneath the loose over-shirt. "Remember how Nikki and Chris used to track things with their eyes early on?"
"I sure do."
Behind his back, he flicked open the box and pulled free the gift. He brought his hand forward and let the chain slowly slide loose, pendant swaying. "What do you think of this, little man? Will your mom like it, too?"
Her eyes glinted with tears. "Just when I think my heart can't get any fuller, it stretches even more."
J.T. winked at his son. "I think that's a yes." The jeweled charm continued its pendulum swing above the entranced baby. "I saw this while I was TDY to Spain a couple of months ago. The stones aren't as big as I would have wanted to get to celebrate something so damn awesome. But I actually put some sensitive-guy thought into it. Thank goodness the kid was born on time so I didn't have to change the birthstone."
He looped the chain up to show her the circular mother charm crafted to look like a woman holding her children, each child a jewel stone. Their three children-gems winked back– a diamond, sapphire and topaz.
She touched each of the jewels with a trembling finger. "It's perfect. You're perfect."